damage

sometimes it snows in the mountains
although the valley stays dry, so you awake
and, driving wherever you have to go, see
blankets of snow in the foothills coating clearcut patches
between tall evergreens. the snow–alternating with stands
of mostly bare trees–makes a quilt that eases the eye.
i had almost the same feeling tonight
soaking up pink-orange sunset that had been enhanced,
i could see from the thick haze surrounding it,
by refinery smoke. even rain-filled tractor tracks
striping sky across green field gravitate my eyes.
i feel sorry for myself sometimes, compelled not just
to love the world but to admire the damage. once
i dreamed i saw earth from afar, and, in places where blue
ocean should’ve been, there was a deep earthy brown
instead. in bewilderment and panic, i could only repeat
but that’s beautiful too. and it was.

“damage” was first published in Olympia’s Works in Progress newspaper.